“A Parliament of Owls”
Teacher: A Sherry Nelson design, taught by Donna White
Date: Satuday, July 11th, 2009

This project is featured in the Spring 2009 issue of the Decorative Painter. (Pg. 42) I have converted it from oils to acrylics. I will refer to different pictures of the painting process in the magazine but remember the project is painted in oils and therefore the instructions are different than what I will be teaching. You will use the line drawing from page 50 of the magazine for your pattern. Once you have painted this project, you will be able to use the same techniques and colors of acrylic paint to paint the other two canvases that are featured in the article.

Required Materials

PALETTE: DecoArt Americana Baby Blue Yellow Ochre Light Buttermilk Raw Sienna Khaki Tan Lamp Black Dove Grey Paynes Grey Driftwood Celery Green Mississippi Mud Soft Sage Raw Umber Plantation Pine Antique Gold

SUGGESTED BRUSHES & Supplies: 3/8, 1/2, ¾” angular #2 & 3 round 18/o liner #6 filbert Q-tips Small sponge roller SURFACE: 8X10 Gallery wrap canvas (this is a canvas that has been stretched over the wooden frame and stapled on the back).

PREP: The background is to be painted wet into wet using a small roller.

The painting surfaces and edges of the canvases are first basecoated with one coat of Baby Blue using the sponge roller. Allow this to dry. Basecoat a second time with Baby Blue. While this is wet, drizzle (different area’s of the canvas) Light Buttermilk from the bottle onto the wet surface. Adjust the colors to your liking. I used a lot of Light Buttermilk as I wanted to tone down the brightness of the blue. Roll this color into the blue, moving the roller here and there and allowing some “splotchiness” to remain. The splotchiness will resemble far away clouds.

Trace pattern or line drawing from page 50 of the Decorative Painter and transfer, centering the drawing on the canvas.

NOTE: If your pattern doesn’t want to transfer clearly, you may have to use a new piece of transfer paper and a stylus with a larger end or ball to get the pattern to transfer.

INITIAL BASECOATS: (If you add a little bit of water to your basecoats it will cover the canvas a bit easier)

OWL:
Put on your pallet a puddle of each color: Dove Grey and Driftwood. When loading the brush, (#6 or 8 round) apply both colors to the brush and base in the owl, following the direction of the growth of feathers. It’s ok that each time you load your brush it’s not the same exact color. It will look a bit blotchy. (Don’t forget the tail underneath the limb!) Base Leaves: Celery Green; Base Limb: Driftwood.   

Apply pattern for details. Use Figure 1 Owl, page 45 of the Decorative Painter for visual aid in basecoating all the dark areas Lamp Black using a #2 or 3 round. Base Pupil: Lamp Black. Base Iris: Antique Gold. Base Beak and Toes: Khaki Tan. Base Talons: Raw Umber.